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Black Friday in July 101

Prime Day isn’t your only option for midsummer savings. Plenty of retailers compete with “Black Friday in July” sales of their own. Use these tips to win Prime Day and Black Friday in July.

Amazon Prime Day (which takes place June 16 to 17 this year) isn’t the only sale going in in mid-July (although it’s the biggest one). Plenty of other retailers hold competing sales the same week. Thanks to the sheer volume of sales across the retail industry, the sheer number of products discount and the sheer drops in prices, this midsummer collision of sales has become known as Black Friday in July.

As the holiday-shopping experts, we know a thing or two about navigating Black Friday. And we’re happy to share our expertise to help you navigate the Black Friday in July (and Prime Day) madness. We also talked to consumer savings expert Andrea Woroch to get her top tips.

Follow these steps to win:

Know what you want

Make your Black Friday in July shopping list, and make it specific. Popular items will quickly sell out, and Amazon is famous (infamous?) for its Lightning Deals (which appear and disappear quickly).

“One-day sales like Prime Day often create a sense of urgency that make shoppers more inclined to buy on impulse and later regret their purchases and overspend,” Woroch says. “... jotting down a list of items you want to scope out can keep you focused and help you dodge those potential impulse buys.”

So, if you want a new 4K TV, research specs and models in advance so that you can pounce without regret. The same goes for laptops, tablets and smart home gadgets.

Know that Black Friday in July isn’t just a single Day

Black Friday in July and Prime Day are somewhat misleading descriptions. This year, the first Prime Day deals launched July 3.

Other retailers tend to get an early start as well (Dell launched its Black Friday in July 2018 sale on July 2) or continue their sales a few days past Prime Day.

Collect as much info in advance as you can

A lot of Black Friday in July deals happen on the fly -- Amazon and other retailers have implemented the Lightning Deals formula for certain hot items.

Even so, you can get an advance look at general sales ahead of time. Amazon’s app, for example, allows you to see certain upcoming deals before they go live. And many major retailers will preview their discounts several days before they go live.

We’ll be covering Black Friday in July sales announcements as they’re announced to help you plan.

Plus, while you’re in advance-research mode, take stock of your desired items’ price histories to become an informed consumer.

“There are plenty of deals to be had but not everything is going to be the biggest savings you can get,” Woroch says.

With your list in hand, go to Amazon and other sites and research prices of products and try to find their lowest selling prices. Make note of this price history on your shopping list as quick reference points, Woroch suggests.

“This will help you spot those great deals quickly so you know when to pounce and will also help you see through the misleading offers that are masked as huge savings, making you a smarter shopper,” she says.

Factor in price matching

If you don’t have a Prime Membership, you can still make Black Friday in July work for you.

Some of Amazon’s biggest competitors (Best Buy, Walmart and more) will price-match Amazon’s . While they generally exclude actual Black Friday (in November) and Cyber Monday from these policies, Amazon Prime Day is still open for price-matching. In fact, eBay announced (just in time for Prime Day 2018), a new Best Price Guarantee policy. If you find a lower price on a competitor's site (including Amazon), you can get a coupon from eBay worth 110% of the price difference.

Generally, to take advantage of retailer price-matching policies for online shopping, you’ll need to provide a link showing Amazon’s price to the competitor’s online chat feature or customer-service contact form. You can also show the price on your phone at a store in some cases. The make and model of the item you desire must be identical to the one Amazon’s offering the deal on, and it’s ultimately up to the retailer to decide if you qualify for a price match. So, it’s not a surefire (or instant) way to get a discount. But, if you don’t have Prime, price-matching is worth a shot.

Before relying on a retailer’s price-matching guarantee, however, carefully read the fine print. Some retailers, including Target, expressly exclude Amazon Prime-exclusive offers. Also note that Amazon itself does not do price-matching.

Know Amazon’s special hacks

Use these tools to maximize your Prime Day wins when shopping on Amazon:

Alexa-only deals: In 2017, some Prime Day deals were available only to voice shoppers using Amazon’s Echo devices. Last year, the prompt was, “Alexa, what are your deals?” So keep an eye out for Alexa-only specials in 2018.

Shopping List: In 2017, Amazon offered the ability to use its Shopping List feature to get price-drop notifications. Create your shopping list here in advance (include all items you’re interested in, whether it’s a laptop, a smart lightbulb or pair of shoes), and get notified (via the Amazon app) if that item becomes a Prime Day deal.

Amazon Assistant: Amazon Assistant is Amazon’s downloadable browser extension. In addition to helping you compare products across Amazon’s selection, it allows you to select deals to watch and receive desktop notifications when certain items go on sale. See if your browser is compatible with Amazon Assistant.

Amazon credit card: If you’ll be spending a lot on Amazon during Prime Day, consider getting the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature card. The card is exclusively for customers with an eligible Prime membership and lets you earn 5% back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods, 2% back at restaurants, gas stations and drug stores and 1% back on other purchases.

Your rewards balance can be redeemed for future Amazon purchases. So, say you spend $500 on Amazon during Prime Day. You’ll earn $25 that you can spend on Amazon in the future.

Check the competition (quickly) before you buy

If you find a great deal on an item you want, do a quick search on a couple competitors’ sites to do a price comparison.

“Competitor retailers are getting in on the Prime Day action, offering big savings on products and often free shipping offers,” Woroch says.

Some browser extensions (such as Invisible Hand) will notify you of lower prices at competitors, but a quick Google search of a product will give you a price comparison run-down as well.

Because some deals run out quickly, you don’t want to spend too much time on this.

“Keep in mind, some sales may be flash sales, meaning time is limited, so just make sure to mind the clock,” Woroch says.

But know that eBay is generally extremely aggressive when it comes to battling Amazon on Prime Day. And, in 2017, Dell and Best Buy were hot on Amazon’s heels when it came to pricing on 4K TVs. Plus, Walmart has a “Dare to Compare” page that showcases items that are priced lower than they are on Amazon, Best Buy, Target and Home Depot.

Factor in shipping costs/times

Amazon Prime’s free two-day shipping is hard to beat. But expect retailers to run free-shipping and expedited-shipping specials during their Black Friday in July sales.

Besides, Walmart offers free two-day shipping as well on select items (minimum order: $35) year round. It also offers a pickup discount on select items, if you’re willing to pick up the item in store.

For other retailers, if you need the item quickly and are willing to pick it up, free in-store pickup is another possible strategy. Simply order online (thus taking advantage of Black Friday in July sale prices and promo codes) and select “pick up in store,” if the item is eligible for in-store pickup. While Amazon Prime’s free two-day shipping may make it the clear winner in many cases, if a competitor is offering a lower price, free in-store pickup may be worth the effort. See a list of stores offering free in-store pickup.

Note that free-shipping promos will often have a required promo code you'll need to enter at checkout. To make sure you don't miss out, double check the promo details -- or use a browser add-on that enters relevant coupon codes for you automatically, such as the Offers.com browser extention.

Think ahead to later in the year

Perhaps the best way to leverage huge sales events is to use them to save money on things you need. Back-to-school season is right around the corner, and the holidays aren’t that far off. Consider using Black Friday in July and Prime Day to check a few items off your shopping lists.

“Think ahead to the upcoming school year for items your kids may need or need for college,” Woroch says. “What about upcoming birthday celebrations or even the winter holidays? There may be a few items you can pick up on Prime Day and alleviate your budget later in the year when finances are especially tight.”

Created June 13, 2018, last updated November 15, 2018

About the Author

Kristin is a savings and deals expert at BlackFriday.com. Her background in personal-finance journalism — along with her own enthusiasm for shopping and travel — drive her passion for helping consumers become savvy and informed bargain-hunters.

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